These are the things that create the most interference

The best-known (and sometimes hated) wireless connection is WiFi, even though it gives us more than a headache. Have WiFi coverage problems It is something natural, as well as exasperating, but fortunately we have different methods to improve it: using a WiFi repeater, a WiFi Mesh system, or even an old router or an old mobile phone.

But it wouldn’t be at all strange if after trying a thousand and one ways to distribute the signal of this connection throughout our home, we continue with the happy problems of poor coverage. It will be then that we should stop and reflect, because it would not make much sense not to have a connection even if we have installed devices to improve it. The root of the problem could come from somewhere else, and this is where interference comes into play. We tell you what devices produce them and therefore, which ones you should keep away from the router.

First, some necessary theory

We cannot talk about the equipment that harms the WiFi coverage of our router without first know a little about technology. As you may already know, WiFi is a wireless connection that propagates its waves at different frequencies or bands, hence each one has its own peculiarity.

We can mainly distinguish between the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFialthough there are significant advances in WiFi 6 technologies and of course, the new WiFi 7. In the first two, which are the most common today, the bands that move in the 2 are used, as their name suggests, 4 and 5 gigahertz.

Our mobile phone and any other device will tell us which one it is connected to, although the name of the network can also be a clue (5 GHz ones usually have the last name “5G” or “PLUS” by default). Once we have understood these basic concepts, we can get into the matter.

The interference They occur when two or more devices transmit on the same frequency, filling that “channel” with data transmitted from one place to another. Finally, what the user perceives is anomalous behavior, whether with interference in Internet browsing, oscillating download and upload speeds, poor signal reception, and even the inability to connect.

What devices generate interference on WiFi

As we say, the reflection of interference ends wreaking havoc in our usual connection with the network. Now, it’s time to know which devices create these interferences in order to act accordingly.

Let’s break it down, one by one, devices that may impair operation of the wireless connection, and we leave them as a list to previously check if this could be the problem we are suffering:

• Home automation devices: Whether we use smart speakers, locks, cameras or thermostats, they use the WiFi connection (usually 2.4 GHz) to connect to the Internet. As a rule, they depend on it so that the user can then use its capabilities.
• Smart TV: Smart TVs, as you surely know, connect to the Internet to become an open window to streaming platforms and other dedicated applications. The older ones will only connect to the 2.4 GHz band, but it is already common to see new models compatible with the second.
• Other WiFi routers: We often dismiss this idea because it seems obvious, but if we place two routers very close to each other, we could create unnecessary interference. Later we will see what to do with the router to improve WiFi coverage.
• Home appliances like the microwave: although they shouldn’t be bothersome enough to notice, while in use it can generate interference on the 2.4 GHz band.
• Bluetooth devices: As in the previous item, all the Bluetooth connections that we use to link devices (headphones, smart watches, etc.) can interfere with the correct functioning of the 2.4 GHz WiFi.

What to do with the culprits of the interference

Now, since we know the equipment that can be harmful to home WiFi, we must take action. What can we do with these devices? Well, the most radical thing, but not negligible, is to eliminate them (whenever possible) from our digital life.

Thus, we forget about the problem in a somewhat crude way, although it may not be possible in your particular case. So, we only have one possible solution: place these devices away from the WiFi router. Again, this solution will be feasible if the conditions of our environment allow it. Avoiding using many Bluetooth devices while we are near it, or minimizing the data transfers that occur are other alternatives.

If the problem was causing a smart tv, we can always get around the problem by connecting it by cable to the router. And we can apply this rule to all those that have an Ethernet port. By the way, apart from avoiding interference, we will be improving the saturation of this well-known wireless connection.

Thus, we ensure a faster browsing speed, fewer cuts, and in general optimal operation. We now move on to another issue, we refer to our router, that equipment necessary to have Internet in our home.

I’m still offline. What else can I do to improve the WiFi signal?

You may also be surprised if we talk about the router as the culprit, and as we have said, it is possible that a second router is causing problems. But in addition, the original router has certain characteristics that can alleviate (partially or entirely) interference problems.

Of course, to enter this unknown territory we must know how to access the router settings. If we are familiar with this type of “cacharreo”, it will be easier for us to apply the advice that we are going to present, but if we are not, don’t worry, it’s easy to do.

First of all, a quick solution to the interference can be change the channel that our router uses to transport the connection. There is no best channel, so it would be a good idea to analyze which ones are the most saturated in our environment. Then, just enter the settings and from the “Wi-Fi” section (“WLAN” in other cases, or “Wireless Connection”) we will see the option.

In the same way, update the firmware of our router could help solve the interference problem. As with mobile phones, router manufacturers usually launch updates that improve connection performance and stabilityso it never hurts to update it.

Assuming that the interference are occurring in a particular band, it will be obvious that changing to the alternative will give us a better result. We can “change” all our devices (or at least those that are compatible), to leave the band where we have unwanted behaviors cleaner. Changing the band usually appears in the same section where we see the channel option, so we won’t get lost.

In short, interference damages our connection to the network, sometimes making access impossible. As we have seen, some teams could be generating these crossovers, so we must stop and think about where the problem may be. Once located, there are effective and equally simple solutions to carry out to return normality to our home WiFi.

Cover image | Stable Diffusion XL with edition

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